Resource Based Teaching / Skill Instruction:

  • SIS Research Wiki designed and implemented to provide Big 6 skill instructional support including: search engine choices, safe image sites, web site evaluation, note-taking templates, research product tip guides, subscription database screencasts, and citation / style guides.
  • All Grade 7 students receive an orientation to the library media center focusing on procedures, library terms, and location/access of materials.


Grade 7



45 minutes

  • Greeting and introduction of LMS
  • Review SIS LMC layout.
  • Review book exchange procedures
  • Review 3R’s of LMC Guidelines (respect, responsibility, and resourcefulness)
  • Demonstrate Athena, automated card catalog
  • Review LMC terms using LMC Millionaire PowerPoint
  • Dewey Decimal signage is displayed on book shelves to assist students with independent search skills
  • Designed web site evaluation checklists and placed one next to each computer.
  • Display information and technology literacy concepts on word walls.
  • Collaborative research units have been created. Please see 2008/2009 projects on the LM Instructional Collaboration chart
  • Designed a companion website (wiki) for Ebenezer D. Bassett biographical resource materials authored by Carolyn Ivanoff
  • Revised Science Fair Resource Wiki to provide online resources to participating students
  • Designed and published web site (wiki) for the Sikorsky project-based learning initiative providing online research resources to participating students
  • Coordinating “River City” grade 7 science research pilot using Harvard Graduate School of Education resources. This integrates MUVE (multi user virtual environment) technology into a unit with learning objectives on water/ air/ insect borne diseases and the scientific research process. (May/June 2009)
  • Designed Internet Safety web quest for Grade 7 students

Collection:

  • Approximately 875 students
  • Print Collection 12,221
  • Average books per student 14 (state recommends 25)
  • Periodical Titles 34 (state average 27)
  • Online Subscription Databases 11 (iConn.org – free state resource available; EBSCOhost available through SHS subscription)
  • Video Collection 670
  • New Books Added 535
  • Deselected Books 2320 (weeded due to age, poor condition, inaccuracy)
    • Follow a systematic work plan to “weed” age sensitive Dewey Ranges consistent with C-R-E-W (Continuous Review Evaluation and Weeding) and M-U-S-T-I-E (misleading, ugly, superseded, trivial, irrelevant, elsewhere) guidelines.
  • A free collection analysis was run using Follett Library Resources on November 5, 2008. A detailed report is available upon request. In essence, the results revealed:
    • Data integrity of the SIS collection is 99.83% (good)
    • In this school year, the average copyright of our collection is 1990
    • Imbalance in the print collection exists primarily in Reference, Social Sciences (below standards) and General Fiction (above standards)
    • Age sensitivity is most acute (poorest) in Geography, Social Sciences, Astronomy and Life Sciences.

Staffing:


  • Full-time Teacher/Librarian 1.0
  • Full-time Library Media Paraprofessional 1.0

Facility:


  • The library media center can accommodate two classes with seating at eight tables and 31 computer workstations.
  • Four study carrels are available for student use.
  • There are 31 computers for student use in the library media center with a dedicated networked printer
  • Server file storage is available for students and staff.
  • Teachers and students can access instructional web sites from home via wikis published to support collaborative projects.
  • Two zones of independent reading / small group work with comfortable seating have been added.

Environment:


  • Science Fair projects were displayed to the benefit and enjoyment of visiting patrons
  • SIS was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, Picturing America, which furnished 30 American art reproductions for display in the LMC.
  • The SIS LMC is truly a multi-purpose learning environment with several distinct usage zones: print collection / circulation; open technology lab; class instructional workspace; small collaborative work cluster, independent reading cluster, and professional staff work room.

Cooperation with Public Library


  • Collaboration with Plumb Memorial Library on Assignment Alerts to furnish students with curriculum related books for research that may not be available at SIS.
  • Collaboration with Plumb Memorial Library on the Grades 7 and 8 “Summer Reading” program.

District Support: Grants, Committees and Professional Development


  • Library Media Curriculum Committee (on-going)
  • SIS Literacy Committee ( on-going)
  • Educational Technology Committee (on-going)
  • Designed and co-delivered literacy workshop on “Closing the Achievement Gap with Direct Vocabulary Instruction” professional development for SIS (November 2008)
  • Collaboratively designing and co-delivering SIS Technology Curriculum implementation (April 2009)
  • Masters of Educational Technology, UConn/NEAG (Degree Completion expected July 2009)
  • Completed iSafe Internet Safety online training/certification
  • Attended Information, Media, and Technology skills workshop by Jamie McKenzie (October 2008)
  • Attended Connecticut Educators Computer Association annual conference (October 2008)
  • Attended Adolescent Literacy Conference at CES as member of SIS Literacy team (November 2008)
  • Attended Active Literacy in Every Classroom Conference at St. Joseph’s College (May 2009)
  • Member American Library Association
  • Member American Association of School Librarians
  • Member Connecticut Association of School Librarians
  • Member Connecticut Educational Media Association

Communication and Public Relations:


  • Extensive online presence is provided with the SIS LMC Wiki.
  • Mentored an Alternate Route to Certification LMS candidate with full-day shadowing and subsequent online professional development support.
  • All faculty members received a brochure describing the role of the teacher/librarian; library media services; and the library media center mission
  • All faculty received the results of the June LMC service survey (September 2008)
  • All faculty requested to submit LMC purchase suggestions (online survey May 2009)
  • Overdue notices are issued to students each month as needed.
  • Publication of year-end SIS LMC Annual Report. (online and on-going)
  • On-going e-mail staff advisories sharing technology integration tips.

Motivational Reading Campaigns:


  • Fall - Nutmeg Award book program. There were 291 Grades 7and 8 students participating in voting for their favorite book.

Circulation / Activity Statistics through May 2009:

Month
Books Loaned
Collaborative Lessons
Wiki Page Views
September
1517
22
966
October
1870
23
2674
November
1191
30
3980
December
838
39
8157
January
1214
8
1629
February
1180
30
4113
March
1664
75
9820
April
1316
44
7198
May

1502

52

4496

Student instruction only; collaborative prep meetings with teachers not included.
  • Students used our “virtual learning resource” wikis available 24/7 for over 43,000 views!


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